Afro-Mexican

Afro-Mexican are Mexicans of African descent. They were not recognized in the Mexican census for 95 years. The Mexican government finally recognized Afro-Mexicans as a national ethnic at 1.38 million or 1.2% of the population on December 8, 2015. The African presence in Mexico is a subject often denied, but people of African descent have influenced every aspect of Mexican life, culture, and history. They participated in its discovery, conquest, and independence.

Origins

The arrival of African descendents in Mexico can be traced back to the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade. It is estimated that between the coming of Hernando Cortes in 1519 and the start of Mexico's War of Independence in 1810, more than 500,000 Africans were brought to Mexico--more than the United States at 450,000.

Blacks were with Columbus on his voyage. Juan Garrido a free black was Columbus's navigator. Hernando Cortes was accompanied by 300 black slaves on the eve of the Aztec conquest.

Africans were brought to Mexico because the native population in Mexico was dying at an alarming rate and an alternative source of labor was needed for the silver mines, fisheries, and plantation economy of Mexico. Priest De Las Casa advocated African enslavement. Some slaves, initially, were ladinos or Hispanized slaves from Spain, but most came directly from Africa. Most slaves were men, with a ratio of 3 African males to 1 African female. The sex demographics laid the foundation for the large zambo population in the Mexican population, with black men seeking indian mates. Another incentive for African men to seek native mates was Spanish law, which stated the child retained the status of the mother. Most indian women were free.

Veracruz became a major entry port for slaves. Mexico was entrench in the slave trade between 1580-1640, with every 2 out of 3 slaves being shipped to Spanish American directed to Mexico. This was largely due to silver mines discovered in Zacatecas in 1546.

Rebellion

From the earliest days of african prescence in Mexico, they revolted against servitude. The latter is revealed in the cedula of September 6, 1521, which banned movement of ladinos to unexplored territories out of fear of them forming rebellious cimarron. By 1523, cimarrons were being reported in Mexico City. One of the earliest and largest planned revolt was in 1537, recently arrived ladino slaves plotted to kill all the whites and subjugate the mestizo and indian population, forming a state. The plot was foiled, after a slave of the Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza revealed the plot. The conspirators in the plot sought refuge in indian villages, but were killed or turned over by the native population for bounties placed on runaway slaves. 1546, 1570, 1608, and 1670 all marked years of significant slave revolts.

Just the fear of slave revolts would trigger violent retaliation on slaves. In 1612, all social functions in Puebla and Mexico City were cancelled due to the rumors of slave revolt. On Easter Sunday, thirty-six blacks who were suspects in the rumored revolt were hanged and decapitated. Their heads were paraded as an example to those slaves who had rebellious intentions.

Cimmarón , Palenque

Because of the harsh way of life in mines and on sugar plantations, many slaves runaway and formed communities called cimmarón or palenques. The most famous was Yanga's cimmarón in east central Veracruz state. The community was known for raiding plantations. They robbed traffic along the Mexico City /Veracruz route. They were defeated in 1611. Impress with their daring and persistence, they were given amnesty and a town was founded for them--San Lorenzo de Los Negros de Córdoba. In 1725 and 1735, major revolts in the town of Córdoba, near Veracruz caused the formation of numerous cimarrones. It was serious enough that the government mounted an expedition in 1748 and 1759, with very little success. Facing English invasion, the government compromised with the cimmarones promising free land , acknowledging their settlements, and giving amnesty. The cimarrones helped repell the English from the port of Veracruz, in 1762. Theircimmarón was renamed the town of Señora de Guadalupe de los Morenos de Amapá. With formation of cimmarón towns stipulation was made that ex-cimmarón would take no new fugitive slaves.

Distribution

Many historical Black communities along the Atlantic coast of Mexico bear names of African regions or make references to people of African ancestry. Along the coast are towns called: Angola, Guinea, Mozambique, and Cerro del Congo or Congo Hill. Other settlements are named in recognition of the various African ethnics groups that came such as La Mandinga, El Mecambo, La Matamba, and El Monzongo, or they bear names such as El Mulata, La Mulata, El Negro, and Juan Mulato. Some town names simply indicate maroon territories, such as Cimarron and Palenque.

Contributions

Traditional Mexican music finds its origin in the states that were heavily populated by black people: southern Jalisco, Michoacan, Guerreo, Oaxaca, and along the Pacific Coast, Huasteco, Tabasco, Veracruz, and northern Puebla. Each state had contributed a son(sound) or style of its own. Some popular sones are La Morena, La Negra, and El Maracumbae. These styles are similiar to many Afro-Caribbean and African musical forms. Other musical forms attributed to Afro-Mexicans are dances like jarabs, chilena, gusto, and zapateo.

Modern Status

Afro-Mexicans are a marginalized group. They are least represented and the most oppressed of all of Mexico's ethnic groups. Afro Mexicans do not refer to themselves as Afro Mexicans rather "Negros." As of 2005, the Mexican government finally recognize Afro-Mexican as a national ethnic at 1.38 million.